Man convicted and sentenced after sexual assault in Watford

Dear Resident

A man has been sentenced after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman inside a Watford nightclub.

Prashant Ladva, aged 37, of Julius Caesar Way in Stanmore, was sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on Monday (7 July) after previously being convicted of sexual assault by touching in May this year.

The court heard how on the evening of Saturday 14 August 2021, Ladva entered the Pryzm nightclub – which has since closed – on Watford High Street and spent time dancing and drinking alone. 

Later in the evening CCTV footage showed Ladva loitering in the foyer near the cloakroom where the victim, a female in her late teens, was waiting alone for her friend to retrieve their belongings. 

Ladva tried to engage the victim in conversation and complimented her appearance before carrying out the assault. The victim managed to get away and tell her friends what had happened, before they reported the incident to police.

During the hearing on Monday, Her Honour Judge Lana Wood handed Ladva a two-year community order, as well as a requirement to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 25 days of rehabilitation activity.

His name will be on the Sex Offender Register for five years meaning he will have to inform police of any changes in his circumstances. Any breach of these terms is a criminal offence. In addition, he was ordered to pay a surcharge, costs and compensation to the victim.

Read a statement from the victim, and a comment from the lead investigation officer, on our website (opens in new window).

Project Vigilant

Since December 2023, Watford has been one of several towns in Hertfordshire that carry out Project Vigilant deployments; a national safety initiative that proactively targets perpetrators of sexual predatory behaviour in the town’s night-time economy. 

First introduced in Oxford by Thames Valley Police in 2019, the aim of Project Vigilant is to identify and intercept those who may be displaying concerning behaviour, to protect the public and prevent sexual offences from occurring. 

To achieve this, specially trained plain-clothed and uniformed police officers patrol public areas outside nightclubs, bars and pubs. The plain-clothed officers integrate themselves among the public and highlight anyone of concern before their uniformed counterparts take positive action – which may include arrest. Examples of the predatory behaviour officers are looking out for include sexual comments, inappropriate touching, and loitering.

If you have been a victim of a sexual offence, there is support available. We can help signpost you to the right service via our website (opens in new window).